In the days and weeks after Royal Mo's breakdown at Pimlico Race Course, in his last timed workout for the Preakness Stakes (G1), it was difficult for the trainer to power forward, but the other horses in his care deserved his best.
What has been an ever-shifting landscape for this year's 3-year-old runners is set to conclude its first-half act June 10 with a wide-open edition of the $1.5 million Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1).
When Victor Espinoza returns to ride in the Belmont Stakes (G1) June 10 at Belmont Park for the first time since guiding American Pharoah to a Triple Crown sweep in 2015, the memory of that day will still be fresh.
Santa Anita Park cancelled its second Thursday card of the season because of a lack of entries for the June 8 slate, and track executives put most of the onus on the local horsemen June 4 to run more horses and fill cards.
Circumstances required trainer John Shirreffs to throw two entirely new elements at Jerry and Ann Moss' Gormley June 3, in his final work for a potential Belmont Stakes (G1) start.
Before and after Gormley logged his workout May 27 at Santa Anita Park, trainer John Shirreffs emphasized that, although the June 10 Belmont Stakes (G1) is under consideration, nothing is set in stone.
Royal Mo successfully underwent surgery to repair a fractured sesamoid in his right-front leg, trainer John Shirreffs said May 15.
Son of Uncle Mo suffered a "fracture of the inside right-front sesamoid" in his final work for the Preakness Stakes (G1).
A sloppy track forced trainer Todd Pletcher to cancel his plan to gallop Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming May 12 at Pimlico Race Course.
Trainer Todd Pletcher gave a very positive review of Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) winner Always Dreaming after the colt galloped once around Pimlico Race Course May 11, in preparation for the May 20 Preakness Stakes (G1).
Jerry Moss, who has campaigned greats such as Zenyatta and built the hugely successful record label A&M Records, hopes to repeat his Derby success of 12 years ago with Giacomo when he sends Gormley to the starting gate.
Instead of working Jerry and Ann Moss' Gormley, his Derby mount, the soon-to-be Hall of Fame jockey Victor Espinoza was aboard the Mosses' Ziconic, who served as the Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner's target.
The clocker's stopwatch at the top of the Santa Anita Park grandstand may have shown 1:15 4/5 for Gormley's six-furlong workout April 22, but the slow time doesn't tell the whole story.
Battle of Midway and Royal Mo, second and third, respectively, in the April 8 Santa Anita Derby (G1), each worked April 16 at Santa Anita Park.
Gormley showed a different dimension in a grind-it-out Santa Anita Derby (G1) victory.
A sterling performance by Cheyenne Stables' Mastery in the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes (G2) for a moment appeared to stamp him as the clear favorite for the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1).
Five jockeys, three trainers and three racehorses comprise the 11 finalists on the National Museum of Racing's 2017 Hall of Fame ballot, as selected by the Museum's Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.
Sham Stakes winner Gormley, a leading classics contender on the West Coast, worked on Santa Anita Park's main track Feb. 20 under regular rider and three-time Kentucky Derby winner Victor Espinoza.
It appears Jerry and Ann Moss and trainer John Shirreffs have another speedy colt ready to hit the Triple Crown trail.
Reminiscent of several standout races in 2016 in the region, the $100,000 Sham Stakes (G3) stretch run featured two horses locked in a duel to a wire, well clear of the rest of the field.
When Gormley found himself four wide in both the first and second turns during the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), stalking the pace instead of out front, it wasn't much of a surprise the John Shirreffs trainee faded late.
Trainer John Shirreffs has 25 horses stabled at Del Mar for the Bing Crosby meeting. That's 25 more than his combined total for the first two fall meets.
John Shirreffs has enjoyed Breeders' Cup glory at Santa Anita Park with the legendary Zenyatta as well as with Life Is Sweet, but Gormley would represent his first Juvenile winner at World Championships.
As the deluge of workers lined up, eagerly awaiting the second training session to begin near the top of the Santa Anita stretch, trainer John Shirreffs held back Jerry and Ann Moss' Gormley for a few minutes to let the track clear.
Gormley made his stakes debut a winning effort, scoring a front-running win in the $300,000 FrontRunner Stakes (gr. I) Oct. 1 at Santa Anita Park.
Seemingly nothing went right for Jerry and Ann Moss' Ziconic in the second start of his career March 25 at Santa Anita Park.
Bolo will put his undefeated record over the Santa Anita Park lawn on the line March 12 in the $400,000 Frank E. Kilroe Mile (gr. IT), with grade II winners Om and Midnight Storm in to challenge.
Ziconic brought back good and bad memories for John Shirreffs all in one shot during his debut Feb. 20 at Santa Anita Park.
Steve Willard, who as part of Team Zenyatta earned the 2010 Special Eclipse Award, died the night of Feb. 16.
Steve Haskin presents several things you might not have known about the remarkable Zenyatta. read blog
After a four-furlong breeze from the gate in :49 3/5 at Santa Anita Park Feb. 13, trainer John Shirreffs said Jerry and Ann Moss' homebred Ziconic will likely make his debut at Santa Anita Park Feb. 20.
Arnold Zetcher's Smart Transition Aug. 23 put in his final breeze for the Travers Stakes (gr. I), firing a bullet for five furlongs on the main track at Saratoga Race Course.
Tale of Verve, runner-up in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (gr. I) May 16, put in his first work over Saratoga's main track Aug. 16 in preparation for the $1.25 million Travers (gr. I) Aug. 29.
The legacy of one of the modern era's best-known Thoroughbred stars continues to this day as two-time Breeders' Cup winner and 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta maintains a devoted fan following. view longform
Arnold Zetcher's homebred Smart Transition picked up his first black type victory July 31 at Saratoga Race Course, kicking into gear off the turn and drawing away to win the $100,000 Curlin Stakes.
Cozmic One, the first foal out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, and Indian Trail, a full brother to 2010 champion 2-year-old male Uncle Mo, will square off July 8 in a $75,000 maiden special weight race at Belmont Park.
The 2010 Horse of the Year is carrying her fourth foal after taking a full year off from breeding following her last pregnancy.
Ziconic, the unraced second foal out of 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, has joined his older half brother Cozmic One in the Belmont Park barn of trainer John Sherriffs, according to the official Zenyatta website.
It goes without saying that no one forgets attending their first Kentucky Derby (gr. I). However, every once in a while along comes a Derby story that is not only memorable but also unlikely to ever be surpassed.
Cozmic One, the long-awaited first foal of Zenyatta, looked a lot like his mother through most of his debut April 17 at Santa Anita Park, trailing a group of five other 3-year-olds in last early on in a mile maiden event.
Cozmic One, the first foal out of Zenyatta, has already shown some of what his mother passed onto him -- strength, stamina, and even an aspect of unwieldiness.
Eblouissante, a half sister to the legendary Zenyatta, has been retired from racing and will begin her breeding career, it was announced Jan. 23.
The legacy of one of the modern era’s best-known Thoroughbred stars continues to this day as two-time Breeders’ Cup winner and 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta maintains a devoted fan following.
2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta never set foot in New York, but her first-born son Cozmic One arrived at Saratoga Springs' legendary racetrack last month to spend the summer learning about life as a racehorse.
Flashy American will take another run at the $200,000 Shuvee Handicap (gr. III) at Saratoga Race Course July 27, wheeling back after a third-place finish in the Delaware Handicap (gr. I) two weeks earlier.
British-born Jacqueline Kandalaft-Gomez imparts basic dressage tenets to all of the young Thoroughbreds she exercises for trainer John Shirreffs, including Zenyatta's half sister, Eblouissante.
Blingo came from off the pace for his first graded stakes score as heavily favored Game On Dude and Blueskiesnrainbows flamed out in the $300,000 San Antonio Stakes (gr. II) Feb. 8 at Santa Anita Park.
Eblouissante, half sister to 2010 Horse of the Year Zenyatta, has returned to Betfair Hollywood Park after being purchased for $2.1 million Nov. 5 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
The 2010 Classic was the end of a magical run that brought an eerie hush to the crowd at Churchill Downs. Victorious and magnificent Blame walked into the winner's circle in dead silence.
Jerry and Ann Moss' Zenyatta electrified the house at Santa Anita Park with her last-to-first thundering move to win the 2009 Breeders' Cup Classic, setting off an emotional display rarely seen at sporting events.
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